The Danish Viking: back to 531: Road to 2-3-4 Plates

I suggest testing yourself before running multiple cycles of another program. Do the final three weeks of SGSS to peak and test.

Itā€™s something like that Iā€™ll do, just as a BfB thing itā€™s almost the same.
Iā€™ll be doing one day DL, Bench, BB row and one day Squat, OHP and Pull up. Itā€™s close enough to SGSS but I like the FB sessions a lot.

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Yes it is. Youā€™ve just got to peak properly for it.

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Solid session

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This is the greatist gif of all time, change my mind :joy:

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Woke at 83,1 kg - 183,2 lbs
Calories yesterday: 2100: 223C, 152P, 54F
This wasnā€™t planned. Weight been going up for the last couple of days, after 7 - 8 days steady and a little drop saturday. Hmm weird.


Todays training

Viking Power Builder protocol

C3W1D2 Squat 60%

Warm up: airdyne, BW squats, BPA, lazy lifter + fluff.

Squat warm up giant set

Jump 5 x 3

Squat 5 x 20, 40, 50, 60, 77,5 kg

Hanging leg raise 5 x 6
.

squat main lift

4 x 5 @ 77,5 kg (60%) 15 ā€“ 20 second pause

1 minute pause belt on

17 x 77,5 kg
.

Assistance giant set

Power clean: 5 x 20, 40, 45, 50, 55 kg, 3 x 60 kg

Squat 3-5 second pause 6 x bar

Pull up 6 x 3
.

Tried to run on the treadmill, after 350 m it was as if my right calve started to get a muscle strain so I stopped here .
.

42 minutes + 10 minutes warm up.

Squats were good once again, might have overdone the warmup.

The 4 x 5 was tough, but the amrap I felt I could go on and on. Misgrooved a couple of reps but all in all they were good.

Cleans were as ugly as ever.

A bit disappointed I couldnā€™t runā€¦ well Iā€™ll live.

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Teach me Mark How do I do.

Woah did I read that right? Paused squats for 15 to 20s??

Oh no 15 - 20 seconds pause between setsā€¦ I would die if it was paused squats.
Itā€™s a spinoff of one of Marks training sessions clustersets followed by an amrap set.
Kind of an backwards myoset.

Oh boy glad I read that wrong. Haha. Strong session!

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Thanks man :slight_smile:

Looks like a really efficient workout. Iā€™m sure youā€™ve mentioned this a million times but what program are you running right now?

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Efficiency is something Iā€™d like to do better. Even my short seshs seem to drag on.

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Correct me if Iā€™m wrong butā€¦ is it correct that beginners like me shouldnā€™t touch on myo reps for now? I got a feeling itā€™s more of an advanced training technique since TUT is significantly less so beginners like me would benefit more from complete sets/reps. myo reps sounds very enticing to cut gym time but I donā€™t think I would benefit from it right now

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Ok @mortdk here goes.

Option one, you do Gregā€™s peak. You can figure it out from my log or buy it for 20 USD and itā€™s yours to keep. A very worthwhile investment, take it from me.

Option two is you follow the basic principles that Iā€™ve figured out from Gregā€™s system and set up your own peak.

Number one, you are no longer trying to build strength. You are preparing to express it. Number two, you are trying to prime your body to overreach and then recover to display the result of your body adapting to that overreaching. These combine to mean two things in practice: the nature of your training changes drastically; and timing becomes important in that when you start and finish your peak and when you test your lifts needs to be done within a relatively precise schedule.

Greg works on a five week peak, with test day at the end training four days a week. The last six days of the peak is a complete deload. It will work with five to seven days, probably even eight. Less than five days and you will not be rested enough. More than eight days and it will probably get more complicated because youā€™ll need to stay recovered but not go past the peak of your adaptation to overreaching. You could also stretch the peak over longer than five weeks, but going beyond that is probably unnecessary. Anything over seven weeks will most probably mean that you end up incorporating some accumulation training in the early stage of peak.

You shouldnā€™t deload before the peak. Going into it fatigued is important. That being said, this assumes that your accumulation training incorporates fatigue management of some kind. So, you should go into your peak fatigued but not so fatigued you are at a high risk of injury. Thatā€™s just common sense programming though so weā€™ll assume this is in place.

Because you are no longer trying to build strength and instead overreach and then display your adaptation on a few specific lifts your assistance work disappears; and the volume of your main lifts drops massively while the intensity increases significantly. Accessory work is very, very limited. If you do conditioning work, it will also reduce in volume and intensity by a large degree. Most importantly, each lift to be tested is given a dedicated day.

In the first week you do a few singles at around 90 per cent of your working max (or around 80 per cent of your max). A few means a few: two to three, no more than five the absolute most. These are followed by a few sets of three or so reps around 60 per cent, using a harder accessory: paused squat and bench, and something like snatch grip or deficit deadlift. On one of the lower body days you do a second accessory, for a couple of sets of eight to 15 reps simply for blood flow. On the fourth day - unless youā€™re testing four lifts - you do a very light upper body pump session.

The second week is your fatigued max week. All you do is work up to a small PR for each lift to be tested, each on a separate day. Youā€™re looking for 2.5 to five kilos on your previous best. If the first PR moves VERY well (absolutely no slowing down and feels light) you may take a second PR but under no circumstances a third. The increment remains the same: 2.5 to five kilos. On the fourth day you do very light lower body pump work. Bodyweight only is a very good option.

From this point onwards, all your percentages are based on your new, fatigued PR.

In the third week, you do a few singles at 90 per cent. Absolutely no more than four, no less than two. These are followed by two to four sets of two to three at around 60 per cent of a harder accessory. There is no third day.

In the fourth week, you do a few singles at 80 per cent. Again, no more than four but no less than two. There are no accessories, nor a fourth day.

Five to seven days before testing, on a single day you do four to seven sets of one to reps at 50 per cent of each lift. The remaining days are spent relaxing. There is no training of any kind, but gentle walking or similar, soft tissue work and stretching is highly recommended.

On test day, you work up to a single that is three to five per cent heavier than your fatigued max. Your final two warm-ups leading to this are around 90 per cent and then 100 per cent of that fatigued max.

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Woke at 82,8 kg - 182,5 lbs
yesterdays calories: 2000: 177C, 170P, 55F
A bit low on calories, but looks okay. Good foods.


@MarkKO Thank you very much, appreciate it. So when I finish this cycle I do one week of 3 singles @ 90% + the assistance you mentions.
Week 2: work up to a strong max lift
week 3: Singles with 90% only 2 days?? DL/Benc + Squat - OHP?
week 4: Singles at 80% 3 days.
5-7 days before testday singles with 50% on all lifts.
Rest for 5 - 7 days then test.
Thanks Mark. Awesome.


@idontbrag123 I run my own take on a program.
I have 4 week cycles working % of my 1RM not TM.
I have 4 different % 60, 70, 80, and 90.
60% 4x5 reps short rest followed by amrap same per cent.
70% 8 triples EMOM little to no assistance kind of a deload
80% 6 doubles. Appropriate rest.
90% 3 singles then amrap with 80% and backoff with the same rep as 80% with 70 and 60%
Every week the percentages are different for each lift.
A bit complicated but itā€™s kind of fun.
I use giant sets for warm up. Ala Brian Alsruhes work
I use giant sets for the assistance work a variation of the opposite main lift.
Then I have a finisher something als wendlers 50 reps push pull core/single leg.
Hope it makes just a little sense.


@whang I would say you could use myo reps, rest pause or mTor just like CT uses in best damn templates.
Now I donā€™t know how much beginner you are, or if youā€™re chasing strength or physique but you could do something like a 5x5 for a main lift followed by a myo set working the same muscles or rest pause or another intensification method. You donā€™t need to.
But you could look at CTā€™s best damn templates.

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In terms of length of time, under two years gym experience.
Less than 6 months following my first ever program (StrongLifts) and starting to lose enthusiasm for it already as youā€™ve seen in my log. So yeah, definitely a ā€œbeginner.ā€ If anything, just not waaay too much of a beginner to still ask if Iā€™m still a beginner - if you get what I mean. Lol.

Primarily chasing strength. Only thing Iā€™d like to intentionally improve physique-wise are my shoulders to be honest. So I guess myo reps would work better for that end?

look at the two 531 articles I linked to in your log, those are gold regarding Jims work at least.
If I should point to something it would be a simple 531 template.
Use your 5RM lift as TM.
PR set on main lift, meaning putting all my effort on that last working set.
Youā€™ll get very high reps on the first cycles that is okay.
Then do a pr set with FSL.

do 50 reps of push, pull single leg/core.
Or look into Jims template for beginners.

Oh dang, sorry to bring the conversation way overboard about me. Weā€™ve veered quite a bit from the myo reps.

Yes, Iā€™ve read the two articles you linked to me - golden indeed. Thank you. As a matter of fact, Iā€™m leaning towards 531 for beginners. Iā€™ll post about it soon in my log probably in the next few weeks.

Itā€™s really a matter of being consistent with something you like to do.
If youā€™d like, you could do a simple 531 template with PR sets and try myo reps for a supplemental exercise. Heck why not do myo reps with FSL.
lifting is a matter of trial and error.
I just do something I like to do. After this Iā€™ll try to bodybuild my upper body and put a lot of strength effort to DL.

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